WH security official: ‘I’m tiring of politicians using national security issues such as terrorism as a political football’

2/8/2010 8:32am by 1,011

One of the best moments from the Sunday shows was the slam at Republicans for playing politics with terrorism and national security:

Deputy national security adviser John Brennan complained Sunday that politicians, many of them Republicans, were unfairly criticizing the administration for partisan purposes and second-guessing the case with a “500-mile screwdriver” that reaches from Washington to the scene of the abortive attack in Detroit.

“Quite frankly, I’m tiring of politicians using national security issues such as terrorism as a political football,” Brennan said. “They are going out there. They’re unknowing of the facts. And they’re making charges and allegations that are not anchored in reality.”

Unfortunately, that’s what Republicans do. Remember Dick Cheney outed an undercover CIA spy for political reasons. And, never forget, the war in Iraq was based on Weapons of Mass Destruction, a charge that was not anchored in reality.

Brennan personally briefed top Republicans about the arrest of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, telling them he was in FBI custody, on Christmas day. (In America, being in FBI custody means law enforcement is involved.) Senators Mitch McConnell and Kit Bond, along with House GOP leader John Boehner and Rep. Pete Hoekstra, were notified personally by Brennan. There weren’t any complaints then. Nope. Instead, Hoekstra turned around and did a political fundraising mailing on the bombing within days.

Everything is a “political football” these days for the GOP.

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On October 27, 2010, Joe was one of five bloggers who interviewed President Obama. Joe is a DC-based political consultant with over twenty-five years of experience at both the state and federal level. Joe has managed political operations and legislative efforts for both candidates and issues-based organizations. For seven years, he was the Director of State Legislation at Handgun Control, Inc. He served as that organization's first Political Director during the 2000 cycle. Joe is a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law. In addition, he has a Masters in Public Administration from Lehigh University and received his B.A. from the University of New Hampshire. Joe also has a fun dog, Petey, a worthy successor to Boomer, who got Joe through eight years of Bush and Cheney. Joe likes to think he is a world class athlete having finished the 2005 Chicago Marathon in the time of 4:10. He has completed six other marathons as well -- and is still determined to break the four hour mark.

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